MMAjunkie.com in The New York Times is reason for an apology

MMAjunkie.com has reached many milestones over the past two years, and we’ve been sourced in nearly every major website, print publication, TV show, radio program and other media outlet that covers sports and MMA.

However, being a former newspaper guy, I must admit that a special tingle went up my spine when a buddy emailed me to say that MMAjunkie.com was quoted in today’s edition of The New York Times, the largest (and perhaps most popular) metropolitan newspaper in the U.S.

That excitement was quickly replaced with contempt when I realized what and how the newspaper sourced from us. It’s no reason for celebration, and I’m now compelled to offer a public apology to referee Dan Miragliotta on behalf of the site.

In a piece designed to question Miragliotta’s third-round stoppage of the Kimbo Slice-James Thompson headline fight, Times reporter Joshua Robinson wrote that the Prudential Center attendees “filled the arena” with boos and that “the sport’s fans made their opinions and suspicions heard on the Internet.”

“Way to go ‘Dirty Dan’ Miragliotta!” read one post on mmajunkie.com. “What were your instructions? If Kimbo doesn’t get knocked out, make sure he wins the fight?”

Another added, “This is the beginning of the end of M.M.A.”

While it may seem like a minor gripe to the casual reader, there is a very big difference between a “post” on MMAjunkie.com and a “comment” on MMAjunkie.com. Reading the above passage, it sounds as though the MMAjunkie.com staff is questioning Miragliotta’s abilities and condemning his decision to stop the fight.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The above statements were made by MMAjunkie.com readers and, in no way, represent MMAjunkie.com itself.

One absolutely puzzling byproduct of Saturday’s EliteXC event has been the flood of conspiracy theories and cries that the fights were either fixed or influenced. Unfortunately, when people make such baseless accusations, they are perfectly content questioning the integrity and professionalism of fight officials. As MMAjunkie.com reader (and the sister of a boxing and MMA referee) Sara Gloch wrote in today’s installment of The Sunday Junkie, “It infuriates me to see fans so easily question the integrity of the people who do their jobs not for the minimal pay, but for the love and respect of the sport.”

If someone thinks the towering, menacing, muscle-bound Miragliotta is going to be intimidated or threatened by Gary Shaw or some other EliteXC official, you obviously haven’t stood eye-to-chest with the giant of a referee.

I have absolutely no reason whatsoever to question Miragliotta’s integrity. I never have. And until he gives me a legitimate reason, I never will.

Now, knowing even more about Miragliotta’s decision, I stand by that statement more than ever. As New Jersey athletic commission representative Nick Lembo recently told fiveouncesofpain.com:

At the end of the second round, Dan came up to me and said “Both fighters are completely exhausted.” And he didn’t think they were going to complete the next round and basically he stood them up because, again, there was no damage and he thought whoever connected with some decent punches standing — that the fight was going to end. At that point, I immediately went into see him and asked him “Why did you stop the fight?” And he said “Thompson’s eyes looked odd. His head went back and he dropped his hands.” And then we he swatted at Dan (after the fight was stopped), I asked him “Do you want me to recommend a suspension for James?” And he said, “Nick, I don’t even think he knew who I was at that point.” And once he regrouped, he immediately apologized.

I’ll never understand why some MMA fans — especially the veteran ones — act as though a fight has never been stopped while both fighters were still standing. In this case, and despite the punishment Thompson delivered at the end of the second round, he was spent between rounds. Sitting cageside, I can vouch for what Miragliotta said about both guys being completely exhausted. Thompson, specifically, hadn’t been that deep into a fight in nearly four years. I’d rather a slightly early stoppage than a serious injury — or worst — playing out on national TV.

So, to go back to the Times piece, we in no way feel that Dan is “dirty.” And I apologize that the newspaper may have led people to think we felt that way.

Furthermore, as far as Saturday’s event being “the beginning of the end of MMA” as the quote read? Please. Was it the beginning of the end when Zuffa’s first UFC pay-per-view broadcast turned into a snorefest and cut out early on many cable systems? Of course not. And like the UFC, EliteXC simply needs to learn from its mistakes and make the follow-up event a better one.

Additionally, as far as the event being bad for the sport and turning off casual viewers, I don’t believe any of these claims are based in reality. In fact, I spoke to a number of friends and family who watched MMA for the first time on Saturday night. None were turned off by what they saw. In fact, most were full of questions and anxious to watch a UFC event so they could compare the two organizations. Again, going back to today’s edition of “The Sunday Junkie,” reader Scott Keirth wrote, “If the UFC were truly confident in their product, they would know that these new fans will eventually find the best product.”

Right now, that’s the UFC, so Dana White and every other UFC executive should be thrilled about the millions of new viewers who were exposed to MMA this weekend.

In any manner, I had no intentions of writing a piece like this today. But in the wake of the NYT‘s piece, I hope it clears up some possible confusion.

Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com and the MMA beat writer for the Dayton Daily News.

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